Bad Girl Reputation by Elle Kennedy

I smother a laugh. “Get her number and tell her you’ll call her tonight.”

With a nod, he’s off.

Rox comes back with our food just as he’s reaching their table, and together we watch him nervously approach the sisters. The girls look uncertain, guarded at first, but when Riley gets a few words out, their faces soften. They smile, amused, looking at their sister. Blushing, she says something in response, which eases the anxiety in Riley’s expression. Then he tosses his hair out of his face and hands the girl his phone. They exchange a few more words before he struts back to us and throws his phone on the table like a goddamn hero.

“So?” I demand. “We’re going to play mini golf tomorrow.”

I flip my palm up for a high five. “Hell yeah.”

Rox’s lips twitch wildly, as if she’s fighting a rush of laughter. “Be careful with this one,” Rox warns Riley, hooking her thumb in my direction. “He’ll get you into all sorts of trouble.” With a wink, she dashes off again.

I grin at Riley with a strange rush of pride filling my chest. “See, I told you, kid. You got game.”

After lunch, we spend a couple hours at the arcade. Turns out I’m kind of a bastard, as far as the whole Big Brother thing goes.

“Some people,” Riley says as we’re leaving. “Some people might find your behavior in poor taste.”

“Can’t expect life to give you everything you want.”

It started at air hockey. Five straight games during which I utterly humiliated him. In the fourth game, it looked like he might’ve turned it around, going on a pretty good run of scoring, but then he got a bit too pleased with himself and I took him to the cleaners.

“I’m just saying.”

“Sounds like whining to me.”

“I’m just saying, you wouldn’t go to the kids’ cancer ward and do victory laps around the room after beating them at Mario Kart.”

Next, we played Skee-Ball. I don’t know if it’s his skinny little arms or lack of trapezius muscles, but I owned him at that too. If he had any cash, I’d have started putting money on those games.

“Who says I wouldn’t? What do they have to do all day but hone their skills? I’ve got a job and responsibilities.”

“That’s messed up.”

I was almost starting to feel bad for him. Even considered taking it easy on the kid. Until he started talking all kinds of smack and challenged me to a Jurassic Park shooting game. At that point, it was an educational imperative—I had to teach the kid some manners.

“You know you’re supposed to set a good example for me, right?”

“These are important lessons. Eating shit is the first lesson of adulthood.”

“You’re terrible at this,” he informs me, rolling his eyes.

“You’re welcome.”

We’re making our way down the boardwalk to where I parked my Jeep when a familiar face appears in my line of sight. She’s exiting the smoothie place five feet ahead of us and looks over her shoulder to meet my eyes, as if she felt me coming. It always strikes me how good her skin looks under a midday sun.

“You following me now?” Dark sunglasses hide her expression, but I know in the goading tone of her voice she isn’t entirely disappointed to see me. Then her attention falls to Riley. “Oh dear. Is this man bothering you?”

“Why does everyone keep saying that to me?” I grumble. “Do I look like I drive a panel van?”

“I’m Riley,” the teen says with a shy smile.

“Genevieve, but you can call me Gen.” She nods in the direction we’d been heading, asking us to walk with her.

As we fall into step with my drop-dead gorgeous ex-girlfriend, it’s as if a switch flips in Riley. His entire demeanor changes as he tips his head toward her. “What do you like to do at the beach, Gen?”

She questions me with a look before answering. “Well, I guess I like to tan and read a book.”

“What’s your favorite day?”

“Uh … Sunday, I suppose.” Gen licks her lips, growing more skeptical as the interrogation continues.

“What’s your favorite time of day?”

I’m here, watching this happen. Still, I can’t believe what I’m seeing. Surreal.

“Sunrise. When it’s still quiet.” An amused Gen watches Riley pull out his phone and type in a quick note. “What are you writing?”

“There,” he says smugly. “I just set a reminder to pick you up for a sunrise date on the beach this weekend.”

“Wow.” She turns with an arched eyebrow, peering at me above the rim of her sunglasses. “Can I assume this was your doing?”

“They grow up so fast.”

Once again, I’m practically bursting with pride. I don’t know if Riley is a quick study or if I’m an extraordinary mentor, but I think it’s safe to say he’s conquered his confidence problem. Although the superpower persuasion of Gen’s spectacular rack might have had something to do with it. Kid’s been staring so hard I’m worried I might have to take him home cross-eyed.

“I might look young,” he tells her. “But I assure you I’m an old soul.”

“Oh my God.” Gen playfully mashes his face with her palm. “Where’d you find this kid, Evan?”